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Russell Hampton
ClubRunner
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Speakers
Nov 05, 2019 7:30 AM
Freeing victims of trafficking, forced labor, and other forms of exploitation
Nov 12, 2019
The new housing options for survivors of domestic violence the Y is providing
Nov 19, 2019
Combatting HIV and Early Pregnancy in Rural Western Kenya
Dec 03, 2019
Talking Farm
Dec 10, 2019
Honor Flight Chicago
Dec 17, 2019
Advances in Mental Health in Isreal
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Upcoming Events
World Polio Day
Evanston Rocks
Oct 24, 2019
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
 
International Service Committee Meeting
One Rotary Center Lower Level Meeting Room
Oct 28, 2019
7:15 AM – 8:30 AM
 
Internation Service Committee Meeting
One Rotary Center Lower Level Meeting Room
Nov 25, 2019
7:15 AM – 8:30 AM
 
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Meeting Notes from October 22, 2019
The Light for October 22, 2019
 
By Chris Joyce
 
Photography by John Searles
 
President Helen Oloroso opened the meeting with a welcome and led us in a recitation of the Rotary pledge. Katherine Peterson  presented the Thought For the Day, a quotation from Melinda Gate’s book, The Moment of Lift, How Empowering Women Changes the World.
 
Announcements
 
President Heleon encouraged club members to support Jean Saunders and Kristin Brown as they participate in the upcoming “Miles to End Polio” bike ride in Tucson. Go to myrotary.org/donate and you can make a donation in the name of Jean or Kristin, or both. Districts 6440 and 6450 are also sponsoring indoor rides on Nov. 17 in Barrington (1301 S. Barrington Road, 8-9:30 a.m.)  and Evanston (McGaw YMCA, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.). We all can participate!
 
Kristen Brown, Jean Saunders, and Helen Oloroso
 
Michael Merdinger, in an “Unannounced Announcement,” stated that we still need additional volunteers for Youth Leadership Day, Nov. 8. Please sign up on the sheets on the table or email Michael.
 
Ann Searles had several announcements:
 
Thanks for contributing the amber pill bottles.
 
The Community Service Committee as their November project will collect vases for Random Acts of Flowers. 4” x 10” are best, but all will be accepted.
 
No club shirt order will be made as there was no interest. But there is Rotary outerwear, like fleece jackets, available. If interested, contact Ann.
 
Linda Gerber announced that the next meeting of the International Service Committee will be Monday, Oct. 28, from 7:15-8:30 a.m. in the Lower Level Dining Room at Rotary International. There will be a presentation by David Baskin, founder of Ani Shlishi in Israel, which provides job training to at-risk youth in Tel Aviv.
 
Susan Prout had several announcements:
 
There will be a soup kitchen Oct. 31 at First United Methodist.
 
Meal preparation 4 p.m. - 6 p.m., serving 6 p.m. - 7 p.m., clean up 6:30 p.m.- 7:30 p.m. Contact Ann Weatherhead to volunteer.
 
Bundled Blessings will be held Nov. 6, from  7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
 
Community Service Committee is giving $1,000 to be a sponsor of the Evanston Police and Fire Foundation fundraiser on Nov. 1 from 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at the Evanston Art Center. As a sponsor, the club gets one ticket (cost $75) to the event. Susan will auction it at next week’s meeting for a donation to our club foundation.
 
Jean Saunders announced that World Polio Day is this coming Thursday, Oct.  24, from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. at RI. Please sign up to attend at evlrc.org/event/world-polio-day/
 
Linda Gerber and Bill Glader made a special presentation to wrap up this year’s Taste of Evanston. Club members were thanked for the various ways in which they participated in the event, from making a cash donation, to volunteering, to heading many of the sub-committees that worked so hard to make the event the success that it is. Checks for $19,367 each were presented to Keith Banks of Reba Place Development Corp. and Betty Bagg of Connections for the Homeless, our charitable partners this year.

Keith Banks, Betty Bagg, and Helen Oloroso
 
Bruce Baumberger, in a very smooth segue from one major club fundraiser to another, announced the beginning of the Holiday Sales fundraiser. There are handouts on each table listing the available products, a calendar for the sale with important dates, and forms to fill out to order the products. All of these forms were emailed to members over the weekend. Time to start selling! All club members should participate. The goal is to net $34,000.
 
Marv Edelstein is asking for volunteers to sit at the streaming table with him. Four volunteers means one meeting a month for each volunteer. Streaming would get more professional, the input of the volunteer would be beneficial, and Marv gets lonely. Benefits are free technical advice and the same pay (?) that Marv makes. See Marv if interested.
 
Program
 
Speaker: Dino Robinson, Shorefront Legacy Center
 
Dino Robinson is the executive director of Shorefront Legacy Center, an independent research organization he founded almost 25 years ago. He began the organization after he began researching the history of African Americans in Evanston and six other North Shore communities.
 
When he began, there was very little documented information on this topic. Since then, he has devoted his time to gathering photos, artifacts, and memorabilia from local residents, many of them descendants of those who came to Evanston during the Great Migration to escape the terror and oppressive conditions of the South.
 
Dino presented the club with an abbreviated history of housing in Evanston, how it became segregated, and what steps have been taken to integrate. Years ago, African Americans were not allowed to use Evanston beaches and parks and were “encouraged” to settle in segregated neighborhoods, like the 5th Ward, through redlining, restrictive covenants, and other such methods.
 
Local individuals such as Edwin Jourdain, Evanston’s first black alderman, and Mayme Spencer, Evanston’s first black alderwoman, along with many others, worked diligently to first modify and then abolish the “black codes” in Evanston under which local segregation was enabled. While much has been accomplished, there is still much to do.
 
The Shorefront Legacy Center is located in the basement of the Sherman Methodist Church, 2214 Ridge Ave. Since 1995, Shorefront has collected, preserved, and educated people about African American history on Chicago’s suburban north shore.
 
The Center holds more than 250 linear feet of archival materials open for public use. They are open Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and by appointment. Visit their website at shorefrontcenter.org. Dino presented a fascinating speech at today’s meeting. If you were not there, please view the meeting recording. It is well worth your time.
 
Helen Oloroso and Dino Robinson
 
Guests & Milestones
 
Visiting Rotarians
 
Judith Diment, Rotary Club of Maidenhead, England
 
Other Guests
 
Napat Suppsuntorn (“Potter”), Youth Exchange Student from Thailand
 
Keith Banks, Reba Place Development Corporation, guest of Linda Gerber
 
Betty Bogg, Connections for the Homeless, guest of Linda Gerber
 
Sue Bova, prospective member, guest of Kristin Brown
 
Kelly Brest Van Kampen, Family Promise, guest of Linda Gerber
 
Willy Steiner, ECC, guest of Joan Borg
 
Dino Robinson, Shorefront Legacy Center and today’s speaker
 
Birthdays
 
Jackie Mack
 
Bob Teska
 
Kassandre McGovern
 
Club Anniversary
 
Katherine Peterson, 1 year
 
Coming Up Next Week
 
Speaker: Eric Peasah, Founder, Right to Be Free/Africa
 
Scribe: Chris Joyce
 
Greeters : Kathy Tate-Bradish, Steve Steiber
 
Thought for the Day: Paul Brown
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